One of my neighbors gave me some zucchini from her garden last week. I had been waiting for this moment, as I don't plant it in my own garden. Like most people who grow zucchini (aka courgettes or summer squash), my neighbor ended up with more than she could use and began giving it away, which worked out perfectly for me - all of the benefit and none of the work. If you end up with a surfeit of zucchini from your garden or a CSA, Mark Bittman has you covered with a dozen ways to use this underrated vegetable.

As Bittman points out, technically zucchini is a fruit, but just like tomatoes and rhubarb, it's most commonly used as a vegetable. There are over 100 varieties you can grow, but they can be broken down into two basic types: yellow and green. For most purposes they are interchangeable, although the yellow are somewhat smaller, more teardrop shaped, and tend to stay firmer during longer cooking times.

Some popular uses are zucchini bread, fritters, and "zoodles," but Bittman provides options that go well beyond these staples. He provides several alternatives for using zucchini raw, grilled, sautéed, and even microwaved. For more inspiration, you can find over 7,000 zucchini recipes in the EYB Library, including these Member favorites: